Train Boy
by kimikissu07
Summary: Riding trains have never been Akashi's favourite part of the day.
1. Chapter 1

Riding trains have never been Akashi's favourite part of the day, it is, in fact, the worst thing that ever happened in his life after being disowned by his father (for reasons he doesn't want to think about, he's gloomy enough to think about it again).

Day by day, he'll stand on the same spot on the train until the one sitting in front of him got off his stop and offers his seat. It was always crowded and he sometimes stumble and knock knees on the brunette sitting in front of him that seems to enjoy reading novels that ranges from local to foreign, tragedy to comedy. Sometimes, the identification card around Akashi's neck would hit the forehead of that same person. He would apologize every time, and every time the boy would mutter some words and would only smile back.

For these past week, the same brunette (now he calls as train boy on his head) was busy reading a novel. It was amusing, to say the least. Last Tuesday, he heard a snicker in front of him and looked down the see the boy giggling on his own, attracting several eyes are on him. As if sensing the attention, the boy look around and blushed, then hides his face behind the book, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. A few moments later, the boy giggles again, albeit more silent this time.

He's curious enough to read the boy's selection and was baffled to realized that they shared the same taste in novels and for the first time, his mouth itched to moved and talked to the train boy.

However, one Monday, instead of reading, the train boy was leaning heavily against the window, faced to the wall with mask over his mouth, sniffling, and eyes closed. It doesn't need too much thinking to realize that he's sick. Gathering that the train boy's stopover is approaching, as a gentleman that he is, Akashi tap the boy twice on the shoulder to rouse him up. The boy opened his hazy eyes and looked at him, confused as to why he was woken up.

"Your stop is near. You should get ready," he said.

The boy looked at the window and took a few seconds to register that he needs to get off. Slowly, he gathers his things and stood up. The train stopped and the boy wobbled a bit but Akashi supported him. The boy glanced at him, muttered a thank you and pushed through the train crowd. Akashi took the seat and it was routine, as usual. For the next two days, this is the routine.

Thursday, the person beside the boy got off early and a middle-aged businessman standing beside Akashi offered him the seat so he was sitting beside the train boy. The train boy was, once again, reading a book entitled The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Akashi remembered reading that book and it was one of those books that he remembers for having a simple adventure turning into bizarre discoveries. It was a good read though.

"Ahm. Thank you, for these past few days. If not for you I'll probably sleep through the whole trip and miss my stop." train boy said suddenly. Realising that it was meant for him, Akashi nodded.

"You're welcome." he replied and the boy just smiled then returned to his reading.

This is what Akashi has been waiting for; a chance to talk to the train boy. However, he was never one to hold a conversation with anyone else, even before, so he doesn't know what to say to lengthen their exchange. Thankfully, the boy seems to want to chat more and had made the move to prolong their conversation.

"H-Have you read this book?" Train boy said, closing the book and turning the paper-back cover of the novel. Akashi checked the cover and the title.

"Yes." He replied. He wished to say more, but he doesn't know what to say next.

"Eeh? So you've read it too. This is a recommendation from my friend; he seems to like these kinds of novels." Train boy said.

"Is that so? That story is…" Akashi replied, easily falling into the conversation. They've talk until the boy's stop is there and bid their farewells.

After that day, they started to talk daily, mostly about novels and their interests. However, no matter how long they've talk, Akashi still doesn't know the name of the boy. One day, he has bundled up all his confidence to ask for it.

But something went wrong.

August 15 should have been an ordinary day, Akashi and the train boy have been chatting for some minutes about cats.

August 15 should have been an ordinary day, if it wasn't for a sudden break sent many standing people to stumble and fall, making a mess of tangled bodies on the floor while those who are seated fell on their seats. The train boy managed to stay on his, but was unable to stop his head from hitting with the wall. Akashi heard the boy swear then gripped his head.

After the initial confusion, Akashi propped up into his knees and shook the boy gently.

"Hey, are you alright?" He asked the hissing boy. Akashi held the boy's face and checked his eyes, pupils blown wide and unfocused.

"I'm getting dizzy." The boy replied and Akashi placed a hand on his shoulder since he looks like he would toppled over without a support.

"Hey, don't fall sleep. Answer me." Akashi starts to tap the boy's cheek and kept him from sleeping.

"S-suuure."

"What day is it?" Akashi starts to question the boy and the other answered them, but his responses are getting slower and more slurred. While the other was thinking, Akashi wondered when the police would come, so he could turn over this boy who is in verge of danger. The other occupants of the train have steadied themselves and started to help others who are hurt, but no one seems to be in serious condition. Other than the boy, that is.

Growing drastically impatient, Akashi has done the last he wanted to do.

He called his father.

After two rings, a deep, tired voice has answered.

"Seijuro, have you-"

"Let's skip it this time. I need you to call the police and hospital to send help here. The train I'm riding on has an accident and there are casualties here that need immediate attention." Akashi cut his father's reprimand and his father seems to understand and asked for the route where the train is on. After knowing this, Akashi heard shouts of orders coming from the other line and there was a throb on his chest.

"You better be alright." His father said and cut the call.

After a few minutes, sirens from the cops and ambulances can be heard outside. Doors have opened and the cops helped the people out of the train. Akashi was attended by men in black suits, probably his father's subordinates, but Akashi has them help the now unconscious boy in front of him. Two men carried to boy to the ambulance that immediately drives off to the hospital and one escorted Akashi to his father that came to the scene personally.

"Are you hurt?" the older man asked, holding his shoulders and checking if Akashi was injured. There are few scratches on his face and hands, and sore parts on his hips and legs but other than that, he is fine.

"I'm hurting on some places, but first, please see to it that the unconscious boy on the ambulance that just left to be attended immediately on the hospital. He seems to suffer a concussion but might be more dangerous, his head had hit the wall hard from the sudden break." He said as his father guided him to the car nearby.

When seated on the back seat with his father, the man ordered their chauffeur to drive them to their private clinic and called the hospital where the ambulance was headed and told them his instructions. After hearing it, Akashi relaxes and succumbs to sleep, fatigue evident on his person.

That was the last time he saw the train boy and he still doesn't know his name.


	2. Chapter 2

It's worrying how an event could change the flow of your world, like how a hastily-made decision could alter your destiny, or how a little gesture could affect your lifetime. A hand shake that could seal a deal that could make you a millionaire. A brush of shoulders in a crowded sidewalk could led you to your lover. A flash of lust could break your heart forever.

A moment of consideration to a man who sits in front of you could change your week. Half hour of conversation could change your month. A second of tragedy could affect your year.

It's been a year since the accident and Akashi still hates riding trains. Not because he feels unsafe since it's not (his father have bought the transportation company and change their supplier for maintenance purposes and change their checking schedule from thrice a week to every day before the trains were used). He feel empty. Every time he looked in front of him and the one seated isn't the same brunette, the train boy, he feel haunted. Every time he realized it, it haunts him to know that people could disappear without a trace.

He did try to contact the hospital to know the condition of the boy. According to the person that he had talked to, the patient suffered from post-traumatic amnesia and had been monitored by their resident doctor. However, the family immediately decided to transfer the boy to another hospital after a day of stay. Besides that, the person didn't open up a new information due to confidentiality.

Days passed and the boy won't leave his mind. An idle glimpse on his identification card, a sick passenger, the whole train ride. Those would always bring the boy on his mind. It's not as if the thought would linger, but the constant memory of the train boy would always make him wonder.

What happened to him?

It is three days after a year since the incident (not that Akashi remembers the exact date, he just know that it is around this time, when the leaves starting to discolor and flower petals are starting to fall), that he saw the boy again.

It is strange, seeing the boy not on his usual seat more than actually seeing the boy again after a year. It feels like coming back to school after the vacation and everything goes back to normal. But with the boy not in his usual seat, it doesn't feel that normal, like when you got back from vacation and one of your friends suddenly cut their hair, like they are not the way they used to be, and it's affecting you more than it should.

Their eyes met for a second but the other boy looked away immediately. And Akashi, after a year of parting, was once again filled with the feeling of longing to talk to the other.

Tomorrow, he said to himself. Tomorrow, I'll talk to him.

The next day, the train boy was seated on his usual seat, as if not a day had passed since the incident, and Akashi fell into the routine and stood in front of him. Again, he bundled up all his confidence to talk (like he did a year before, when he wanted to ask the name of the boy).

Ah, that reminds him, he still need to ask for the train boy's name.

"Would you like to talk over a cup of tea?"  
The train boy looked up at him, curiosity present in his eyes and proceed to look beside him. When he realized that Akashi was talking to him, confusion replaced curiosity.

"Eeh. D-do I know you?"

Of course, the boy won't remember him. Not only because a year had passed, but might also because of the trauma that he had suffered.

"Not generally. We've had conversations before the accident."

At that, the train boy's curiosity had peaked up again, and he agreed. They sat down at a café near the train boy's stop. Akashi's examination for that day had long been forgotten, his attention was focused on the boy he thought he'll never see again.

After the long silence as they sip their respective drinks, the train boy talked.

"I know you." He said, familiarization dawning unto him.

He rummage thru his belongings and pulled out a sketchbook. He flipped thru it, settled on a page and turned it to face the other.

On that page is Akashi, standing in the train, on the very spot that he always occupy.

"I-I got a post-traumatic amnesia from the accident." The train boy started to explain. "This past year, I've been under t-therapy for most times. Last month, the doctor finally let me home. Almost all the memories I've lost had come back but I always remember your face, but nobody could tell me who you are so I've come to the conclusion that maybe you're just a part of my imagination.

"But you're always on the memories on the train that I could recall so you must be someone important. Seconds before the accident. On the day I get sick. Even the talk about the books. I remembered it all. But I can't remember your name. That's why I looked at the train, where you're always in my memories. My family are against it, since they thought something might happen again, but I escaped. Haha." The boy smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, clearly embarrassed at his confession. A small smiled quirked behind the tea cup on Akashi's lips.

"When I finally gotten a good look on you, I knew you're someone I knew. That's why I would like to know." He inhaled deeply and looked at Akashi intently as he asked.

"Who are you?"

Akashi think. He is Akashi Seijuro, 21, and studying at a local college that his father doesn't approve. That's who he is. But for the train boy, Akashi Seijuro is a nobody. Akashi Seijuro is not someone that the train boy knows by name or by status. He is the boy who likes reading adventures and tragedies, likes his coffee black and is allergic to dogs; that is who Akashi Seijuro is to the boy.

"You don't know me. I'm just a stranger who happened to stand in front of you every day in the train, who talks to you until you got off your stop, and was there to help when the accident happen. I'm of no importance to your life." He said truthfully. The boy's face showed misperception, not understanding the situation.

"B-but if you're always in my memories then-"

"I'm just a stranger with a routine. That is all. You don't even know my name, as yours to me. It's because we only had that relationship. We're just nobody to each other." Akashi said.

Disappointment could be seen on the train boy's face. His eyes turned downcast as he plays on the stray thread of his shirt.

"Oh." He just whispered. Akashi studied the boy. It must be a disappointment to know that what you've been looking for isn't really what you thought it would be. But Akashi knew that he wanted to be a somebody to the boy who occupied his mind for a year.

"But we could start over again." Akashi said and the boy looked up, eyes questioning. "Since I never got your name, why don't we start over? This time I won't be just the boy who talks to you on the train. I'm Akashi Seijuro."

Akashi extended his hand and the boy looked at it, as if it was something that he'd been looking for.

Grasping Akashi's hand with two of his own and enclosing it in a tight grip, with a smile breathtakingly beautiful, the train boy answered.

"Furihata Kouki. It's very nice to finally know you!"

* * *

_Journal,_

_A boy with red hair always stood at the same place every morning. His hair is really eye catching! Tomorrow I'll try to sit in front of him so I could study him. Maybe until I could draw him with eyes close. He'll make a good muse. I wish I knew him though, so I won't look creepy stealing glances at him. Haha!_

_I'll try looking at his ID first. Teehee :p_

_TTYT._  
_F. K._  
_04/25/XX_

* * *

**END**


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